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Radiation after SMX
Stage 2 --clear margins for IDC after surgery number 1 (1 positive lymph node ..5 clear, 6 removed during surgery). DCIS was at the margins of 1st surgery, re-excision still had positive margins. Conceding to SMX (sad about it) and possible direct to implant. I'm opting out of radiation to breast but since I had lymph node involvement, considering radiation to lymph nodes to reduce reoccurence spread. Onco said will reduce from 10% to 5% but 10% chance of lymphademea ..ugh. Also, showed me area of radiation for lymph nodes and will still hit top portion of breast (want to avoid bc of implant), collar bone and near my heart. Hard choice but curious if anyone else only did lymph nodes and your experience with radiation after effects.
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Something to consider - latest research is saying a functioning lymph system can be effective in fighting cancer. Will the level of suggested radiation shut down the functioning of those nodes? Or probably a better question, can they tell you the risk that it will damage the nodes so they don’t function (what is their research telling them?)
The numbers the doctors usually share with us are what is the risk of cancer recurrence, or risk of lymphedema (you have those numbers). What I’d hope they could tell you is - what is the risk of cancer recurrence or metastasis when radiation to the lymph nodes has damaged functioning VS what is the risk of cancer recurrence or metastasis when lymph nodes are still functioning after radiation.
I would hope they would have that information. If not, it’s time they go figure it out. With AI support they are able to sift through thousands of details captured in research and parse out this type of critical data.
Then it’s a decision about which facility and where has the best outcomes for not damaging lymph nodes to the point of loss of function if you decide that radiation is part of the answer.
With five of six lymph nodes clear, I would also suggest weighing the type of cancer cells you have/had as part of your decision about radiation. My DCIS had cribriform, papilloma, and solid cell formation. It was the solid formation that I was afraid of. The histology of the cancer says a lot about the aggressiveness of those cells.